Rally Isle of Man - 15-17 Sep 16

In Car

Posted: November 19, 2016 4:44 PM

Marty Gallagher & Dean O'Sullivan (Peugeot 206 R2) SS5


Wayne Sisson & Patrick Walsh (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) SS20

Special Stage TV Programs on Line

Posted: November 19, 2016 4:39 PM

Video Clips

Posted: November 19, 2016 4:37 PM

Opportunities Open up after Mighty Manx from Marty Gallagher!

Posted: November 19, 2016 4:07 PM

Marty Gallagher and co-driver Dean O'Sullivan's first trip to MSA British Rally Championship-Rally Isle Of Man event proved to be a highly rewarding and successful one. The young Donegal pairing drove a fast and mature event in their Campsie Karting Centre Peugeot 208 R2, to come home a fine eighteenth overall and first in the BRC 4 class. The result also saw them cross the finish line at the TT Grandstand third R2 car home behind Rob Duggan's Vauxhall Adam, and Norweigan Sindre Furuseth's Renault Twingo, with a fastest R2 time recorded along the way. Twenty year old Marty, in just his second full season of rallying has now also qualified for the prestigious FIA Celtic Trophy shoot-out in Austria in November.

The only Donegal crew to contest this year's three day event they started cautiously for the three stages on Thursday night.
"We had no real experience of the dark, or of the event, so the plan was to keep in sensible for the first night. It worked out well and on Friday morning we weren't even too far back from the leaders? said Marty. Day two-Friday was a big day with eleven stages- five of which would be held in darkness. It was to be a great day for the Campsie Karting Centre team, whose fast steady pace saw Marty have no issues and after three stages they were now third R2 car, and pulling away from the factory Vauxhall Adam of Mattias Adielsson. "By Friday afternoon we knew that we had to consolidate our position, as we had a good gap to fourth, and we believed we weren't going to catch Rob or Sindre as we weren't on that pace yet. That's what we had to do all the way to the finish, and for once it all worked out. The car ran faultlessly thanks to McConnell Motorsport and we had no big moments, so we have learnt a lot about the rally.? Even despite the measured approach a fastest time in the R2 category on stage six showed the increased overall pace of the Donegal crew on their first Manx foray.

"It was a brilliant rally,and by the second night I really enjoyed those night time stages. I loved the rally and the stages, and it's all experience for a 2017 MSA British Rally Championship attack. My focus now is on the Irish Tarmac Championship Cork 20 Rally in two weeks, where the class has to be decided. Really Callum Devine would have to non-finish for us to win the category, but second is still a race with William Creighton in his similar 208. That is one thing, but we would also love to contest the FIA Celtic Trophy Shoot-out event- the Rally Waldviertez in November. However we hadn't budgeted for qualifying for this at the start of the season, so we really need some backing to enable us to compete.? Indeed the British and Irish Tarmac Rally Championship competition this year has been self funded by the family business, but opportunities are open- now just for Marty to make a name for himself in front of the cream of Europe and the FIA in Austria but for a backer to get behind one of Ireland's rising rally talents.

The Austrian event is a mixed surface affair with sixty kilometres on tarmac and eighty-five on gravel, the surface changing during each stage. The two day event requires two ferry trips and over 2800 kilometres each way of travelling, so it's no easy undertaking. "I would really like to contest the event, it would be quite a challenge and it could lead to other opportunities. I think it could suit us and we don't want to miss it.? With the team now gelling with the 208 Peugeot, and the performances becoming faster and more consistent, some additional support would be vital to enable one of Ireland's young rallying talents to progress further in the wider rallying arena.

Pritchard scores double BHRC victory

Posted: November 19, 2016 4:06 PM

Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke scored a vital double win in the Isle of Man Historic Rally (15-17 September), the seventh and eighth rounds of the 2016 Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship.

During the fabulous event run in warm sunshine over the island's sensational closed roads, Pritchard and Clarke scooped a perfect score to ensure that the overall title will only be decided at the final round, the Trackrod Historic Cup (30 September/1 October).

After two and a half days of flat-out asphalt rallying, Simon Tysoe and Paul Morris were confirmed as champions in the Capital Construction Category 2 and Bob and Dale Gibbons secured the Vintage Car Radiator Company Category 1 title after a tremendous performance in their Ford Cortina Mk2

This was never an easy result for Pritchard's Ford Escort Mk2 as a concerted attack from Ryan Barrett and Paul McCann left the margin at just 10 seconds with two stages to run as Barrett clawed back into contention after collecting 40s of road penalties with ignition dramas. Sadly, a loss of oil pressure ended their rally with only a handful of miles to run.
"It's been a perfect weekend,? said Pritchard who had to claim two good points' scores to keep his hopes alive of retaining the BHRC crown.

Another star performance came from Paul Barrett, elder brother of Ryan, and co-driver Dai Roberts in their Pinto-powered Escort Mk2 to finish second BHRC contenders. "It's a brilliant rally and the Pinto won't go any harder,? said Barrett, who is now the main rival for Pritchard heading for the Yorkshire showdown. Barrett also headed the RSR Historic Engineering Category 3, while Pritchard/Clarke topped the Holton Homes Category K.

Third BHRC finisher with a fine performance was the Escort Mk2 of Shawn Rayner/Declan Dear and it was a rewarding first Manx finish at the third attempt. Despite losing more than 10 minutes with a late trip into a ditch, Tysoe and Morris sealed the Capital Construction BHRC Category 2 victory in their Ford Escort Mk1, but title contenders Stanley Orr/Guy Weaver were a Friday casualty with two broken rockers in their Pinto engine.

Deserving Category 2 winners on the rally were Barry Jordan and James Gratton-Smith (Hillman Avenger) after a very strong run for the BRM-engined car. "The car has been mint,? reported Jordan. However, out of luck were Phil Jobson and Arwel Jenkins who went out with an accident on the final day.

The Gibbons father and son team had a great rally to take Category 1 in both the rally and the BHRC standings. The father and son team overcame a strong Category 1 field and ended the Cortina's stage rallying career in fine style. Mike Barrett and Fiona Scarrett did well to record a good finish with second in Category 1 for their Ford Cortina Mk1 GT.

In Category 3, there were mixed fortunes among the Ford Escort Mk2 ranks and a cruel blow for the 1600cc car of Chris Skill/Tom Jordan when a broken rocker forced a late retirement after a dominant performance. Also destined not to reach the finish with engine dramas were Malcolm Rich/Ryland James and Daniel Jones/Gerwyn Barry.

Rudi Lancaster and George Gwynn got their rather battered Escort Mk2 to the finish, but lost a lot of time after hitting a chicane on Thursday evening. Similarly, Phil and Mick Squires drove an attacking rally in their freshly-built Escort Mk2 but dropped a lot of time on the final stage when the engine cut out.

Sixth BHRC crew home was a great result for Barry Stevenson-Wheeler and John Pickavance on their island debut despite some car problems including a cracked fuel tank. They finished just ahead of a three-way battle between the Vauxhall Chevette of Stuart and Jack Anderson and the Escort Mk2s of Mike Tomkinson/Shaun Whitehurst and Simon and Alister Crook. For the two Escort crews, a strong finish on their first attempt at the event was just reward in this most challenging rally on the calendar.

R5 specification Mitsubishi claims its first championship title

Posted: November 19, 2016 4:05 PM

Saturday 17th September marked an historic occasion for the R5 specification Mitsubishi Mirage/Space Star, when Robert Blomberg and co-driver Lars Andersson claimed the MSA British Rally Championship National Rally Cup title. Their second place on the Rally Isle of Man - the seventh and final round of the British Rally Championship - secured victory in the category they had led since the middle of the season.

Before this year, Blomberg and Andersson had entered very few events outside of their native Sweden, but having purchased an R5 specification Mitsubishi from Mpart at the end of 2015, they felt inspired to try something that would best suit the car's capabilities and challenge them beyond their more familiar environment. With the British Rally Championship re-launched for 2016 and incorporating a National category, the season's seven events that comprised a mixture of gravel and asphalt events provided the perfect opportunity.

The season started well, with a second place on the Mid Wales Stages in March, the snowy conditions on the Welsh mountains resembling scenes usually found in their home country at that time of year.

In April, Blomberg and Andersson got thier first taste of Irish tarmac with the Circuit of Ireland, where a spin off the road meant they had to re-start under SuperRally regulations. But even with the subsequent penalties applied, they were still able to finish fourth.

Two demanding gravel events followed: the Kielder Forest based Pirelli Rally in May and the Scottish Rally on equally arduous stages in June. Another second place on the Pirelli Rally was followed by the team's fist win in Scotland. With Blomberg and Andersson playing thier joker, they scored double pointsand consequently, took a commanding lead in the National Rally Cup.

July hosted the Nicky Grist Stages, which brought with it yet another challenge. It was another event held in Wales, but this time there were gravel stages on day one followed by asphalt stages on day two. With rain storms appearing all weekend, it was another character building event for the team and their efforts were rewarded with another win. Round six saw a return to Ireland for the Ulster Rally in August, where the team recorded its third win in a row. this hat trick of victories meant they now had to finish fourth or higher on the final round on the Isle of Man.

Having never been to the island before, the event was to provide yet another new challenge for Blomberg and Andersson, but after a tentative start on the three stages on Thursday evening, they settled into a rhythm and completed Friday's 11 stages and Saturday's six

with out any issues whatsoever. At the finish, a delighted Blomberg said: "This has been a fantastic year and I'm absolutely delighted to have won the National Rally Cup. We couldn't have done it without the reliability of the Mitsubishi. It's run like clockwork. In fact, we are the only crew that has finished and scored on all of the season's seven rounds.

"The car has been so enjoyable to drive - whatever the surface - and it's easily dealt with all the challenges we threw at it. This year, I've been fortunate to have competed on some of the best events and over the best stages you'll find anywhere. It's been a great all-round experience.?

Of the seven rounds in the British Rally Championship National Rally Cup, four were won by an R5 specification Mitsubishi, with the car occupying first and second places on two of the events. Other drivers have included WRC junior driver Osian Pryce and Jamie Jukes of Spencer Sport, the official UK and Ireland distributors for the Mitsubishi.

Onions and Matthews take the major Fuchs spoils

Posted: November 19, 2016 4:04 PM

Will Onions and Roger Matthews were the big winners during rounds four and five of the Fuchs Lubricants R.A.C. Historic Asphalt Rally Championship, the Historic Rally Isle of Man (15-17 September).

While Onions and co-driver Jamie Edwards were the leading championship finishers with second overall in the historic section, Matthews and Tom Marrott completed a perfect season score to secure the inaugural championship title with one round remaining.

As ever, the Isle of Man delivered an outstanding event and a massive challenge as crews tackled two and a half days of flat-out asphalt rallying on closed public roads. With a planned 160 miles of competitive motoring the event formed a double-header for the championship.

A strong field of Fuchs R.A.C. contenders lined up in Douglas for the start on Thursday evening and the opening leg of three stages in the dark pointed to fierce competition as Onions headed Guy Woodcock/Richard Skinner by just four seconds in a battle of the Ford Escort Mk2s. Despite a persistent misfire, Rob Smith and Alun Cook showed tremendous pace in the Opel Kadette owned by Peter Smith and slotted into third place overnight.

Sadly, both Woodcock and Smith would drop out of the contest with engine problems but not before showing their pace. When running cleanly, the Opel set fastest historic stage times, such was the speed that Smith extracted on his first run in the car. However, it was Onions who was able to control the pace while dealing with clutch problems on his way to a well deserved success. Even on the final stage of the rally more clutch issues struck, but Onions kept the car running for a great result.

Stanley Orr and Guy Weaver (Ford Escort Mk1) also went out with broken rockers in their Pinto engine and series newcomers Graham Muter/Stewart Powell retired their Escort Mk1 with overheating issues on Saturday morning.

One of the star drives of the rally came from Belgian crew Christophe Jacob and Isabelle Regnier who moved up to second-placed Fuchs contenders as they competed on the island for the first time. "We will be back,? promised Christophe after a fine performance given their lack of prior knowledge of the challenging stages.

Both Barry Stevenson-Wheeler/John Pickavance and Simon Crook/Alister Crook made their Isle of Man debuts and to their great credit both crews achieved strong finishes as they learnt about this tough rally. Just over a minute down on Crook was the Escort Mk1 of Matthews and Marrott as Matthews made his Isle of Man debut. With title rival Roger Moran missing the event due to family commitments, Matthews knew that a clear run to the finish was all he needed to secure the overall title and he duly delivered to become the inaugural Fuchs R.A.C Historic Asphalt champion.

Rounding out the finishers was the Hillman Avenger Tiger of Ian Robertson and Andrew Scott, making a welcome return to the championship for the first time since the opening round. Just recording a finish with this now rare rally car was a great achievement on such a tough rally.

Motorsport Ireland Young Rally Driver of the Year Rob Duggan Conquers Manx

Posted: November 19, 2016 3:55 PM

Vauxhall Motorsport UK driver Rob Duggan rounded out an almost perfect season by taking his fifth win on the MSA DMACK Junior British Rally Championship last weekend on Rally Isle of Man. Having already secured the junior title on the previous round in Ulster, Duggan was able to drive without pressure on the Manx and secured another junior win, as well as a top 10 finish on the infamous island.

Duggan and co-driver Ger Conway suffered an early scare on the season finale however. With the opening stages of the event held in darkness on Thursday night, the map light needed for Conway to read his all important pacenotes failed. A temporary light was found in the form of a mobile phone which saw the pair through an eventful opening night with a slender advantage! Day 2 was by far the longest days rallying in the championship and it was here that Duggan came into his own, revelling in the fast, flowing roads of the island. With a lead of over 2 minutes at the end of a marathon day, the current Motorsport Ireland Young Rally Driver of the Year could enjoy the final trio of stages on Sunday, eventually arriving back at the iconic TT Grandstand as the junior winner by almost 3 minutes ahead of nearest chaser, Sindre Furuseth.

Speaking after the rally a delighted Rob said;
"To see out the season with another junior win is fantastic. We didn't need the result here but we wanted it and it's all the sweeter because of it. The island is a daunting place but to finish as top 2 wheel drive car and inside the top 10 on my first visit here is something I am very proud of. Having learned so much on gravel events this year, it was nice to go to a new tarmac rally and learn there as it's my favourite surface. The event was superb and the mix of street stages along with the typical Manx lanes meant you never had a chance to relax. It was lovely to drive without the pressure of the championship hanging over me and allowed me to just get on with driving. Simon and the team at Vauxhall gave me a perfect car once again and for the Vauxhall Adam R2 to maintain a 100% finishing record in the championship is a testament to their hard work and preparation."

Following his all conquering season, Duggan remains unsure about his next move but rest assured he is keen to build on the momentum he has gained in 2016. He explains; "We are looking at all available options for 2017. Fortunately, we have a few months now to take stock of everything to try and make the most of our efforts these past few years. I'm lucky to be in this position at the age of 23 but keeping momentum in my career is the key going forward. It might be unrealistic to think I could have another year as perfect as this one but that isn't going to stop me trying. So many people have helped to get me to this point in my career and I owe it to them and myself to really build on the success of this year."

Elfyn Evans puts icing on BRC title with classic Rally Isle of Man win

Posted: November 19, 2016 3:33 PM

Elfyn Evans and co-driver Craig Parry won the 138.com Rally Isle of Man this weekend (15/17 September) after a gruelling three-day encounter over the classic Manx Tarmac roads.

The Welsh duo were once again the class of the field taking the lead on the second stage of the rally, holding their advantage until stage 12 when a drive shaft failure dropped the World Championship stars back into second.
Undeterred after a final day tussle with multiple BRC champion Mark Higgins and co-driver Darren Garrod, Evans and Parry overhauled their teammates and arrived at the famous TT Grandstand for the Ceremonial Finish with a 5.9 second advantage after over 120 competitive stage miles.

The fight for second in Britain's premier rallying series was to go down to the wire on the rally, with five drivers coming into the event with a mathematical chance of finishing runner up in the championship. That honour went to Tom Cave and James Morgan who put in one of their best performances in 2016 to take second in the BRC category and third overall. Desi Henry and Liam Moynihan recorded their third podium this season rounding out the BRC rostrum in their Skoda Fabia R5.

A star-studded entry descended upon the legendry Rally Isle of Man for the 2016 MSA British Rally Championship curtain call. Topping the bill along with newly crowned champions Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry were Citroen World Rally Championship stars Craig Breen and Scott Martin in a Citroen DS3 R5. In addition, local hero and three-time British Rally Champion Mark Higgins with Darren Garrod sat alongside, driving a DMACK-supported Ford Fiesta R5 .

A spectacular super-special stage on Douglas Promenade got things underway. With the Irish Sea as the backdrop, thousands of spectators lined the one-mile stage with crews battling head-to-head with one another on the streets of the Islands capital.

Breen and Martin drew first blood before Evans and Parry in their Ford Fiesta R5 stretched their legs on the two other stages on the opening evening to hold a 12.1 second gap over Welsh compatriots Tom Cave and James Morgan (Fiesta R5). Breen and Martin suffered engine woes on the third stage, putting paid to their weekend and denying fans of a heavyweight title bout on the picturesque lanes.

Manxman Mark Higgins picked up the mantle to challenge the newly crowned champions. The local star kept Evans honest and was there to strike if the Red Bull athlete encountered any difficulties. Disaster did strike for Elfyn on stage 12 when his Fiesta R5 went into three-wheel-drive after a driveshaft failed, forcing the champion to limp the Fiesta through the two stages of day two. Higgins stole the march and headed into the final day with 17.5 seconds in hand over his younger rival.

A determined Evans woke up on the final day in an inspired mood and started to chip away at Higgins' lead. The local drivers advantage dipped as low as one tenth of a second going into the penultimate stage. Much to the disappointment of the home crowd, Higgins couldn't hold off Evans as the Welshman's momentum saw him inherit the rally lead ? stretching out a 5.9 second lead prior to the finish outside the famous TT Grandstand.

Elsewhere, there was to be a monumental scrap for the final podium position on the rally and for second place in the overall championship classifications. Tom Cave, on his first visit to the island, showed remarkable pace in his Michelin-shod Ford Fiesta R5. The Welshman started off cautiously but built the speed to hold a high of second before the local knowledge of Mark Higgins saw him get the better of Cave on day two.

Irishman Desi Henry enjoyed the event-long scrap with Cave with the pair finishing just 11.6 seconds apart. The Skoda Fabia R5 driver notched up his third BRC podium of the year, elevating him up the standings.

Fredrik Ahlin looked to be gaining the fortunes his performances have merited over the season at last, as he challenged for a Rally Isle of Man podium early on. The Swede had not scored a BRC point since his Pirelli Carlisle victory back in May but the Pirelli-backed driver's season was to go from bad to worse. Losing his intercom through stage seven, shortly followed by damage to his engine meant the promising Scandinavian, with Norwegian Morten Erik Abrahamson alongside, went no further on the fast-flowing stages, and was out of the fight for second place in the championship as a result.

BRC2 Champion Matt Edwards continued his successful graduation into the BRC top flight with a fine fourth in the Swift Group backed Fiesta R5, while Jonathan Greer brought the sole remaining Citroen DS3 R5 home to round out the top five BRC runners.

David Bogie had a disappointing event by his high standards as he struggled to find that special ingredient which saw him take a podium last time out in Northern Ireland, finishing sixth. Bogie's CA1 Sport teammate Alex Laffey was delighted to record his best ever BRC result with seventh as Junior BRC crews Rob Duggan and Sindre Furuseth took eighth and ninth respectively. BRC4 event winner Marty Gallagher took home the final BRC point.

In the DMACK Junior British Rally Championship, Vauxhall ADAM R2 driver Robert Duggan could do no wrong once again with the able Gerard Conway guiding him through the three-day event. The Irish pair made it five wins this season and firmly cemented their championship success on the Island event. Such was Duggan's pace, he also collected a handful of outright points, putting more powerful cars behind him on the results sheet. He was also the first front-wheel-drive car home with only more powerful R5 cars ahead of him.

It was a titanic battle behind to sort out the remainder of the championship positions as both Sindre Furuseth and Mattias Adielsson were in with a chance of taking second in the Junior series.
Furuseth admitted he couldn't beat Duggan's Tarmac experience as he was only contesting his second ever Tarmac rally himself. The Norwegian, in his Renault Twingo R2, came close on the opening day ? just a handful of seconds off the Irishman. With a mature approach, Sindre set respectable times and grew in confidence stage after stage, creating a good gap to secure second on the road and second in the DMACK Junior BRC.

Mattias Adielsson in a Vauxhall ADAM R2 and Adam Bustard in a Ford Fiesta R2T were locked into an event long battle. Bustard held the advantage on the opening leg of the event before the Swede clawed his way back on the final morning. Bustard threw caution to the wind on the final few stages to topple Adielsson on the very final test of the rally, beating the Swede by 6.2 seconds upon the cars' return to Douglas.

Josh Cornwell, Blair Brown and Nabila Tejpar all made it to the end of the demanding event to chalk up solid points, elevating them up the championship standings.

The National Rally Cup was to go down to the wire on the final round of the season between Robert Blomberg and Donnie Macdonald. Series leader Blomberg came into the showdown on form after a hat-trick of victories. The Swede needed fourth place or better in the class results to take the title back to Sweden.

Donnie Macdoanld went out and did what he had to do, blaze a trail and win the NRC class. The Scot in his Mitsubishi Evo 9 performed a stunning display to put himself in the top 10 overall on the Manx International event. Unfortunately, it was not enough. Despite finishing 16 places apart on the leader board, Blomberg, in his Mitsubishi Mirage, was the second NRC driver home and therefore lifted the trophy at the end of the event.

In the BRC3 category, Northern Irishman Will Corry put on a stunning display in the striking Toyota GT86 CS-R3, hustling the rear-wheel-drive Japanese machine around the island lanes, much to the delight of the thousands of spectators stage side. In BRC4, Marty Gallagher in his Peugeot 208 R2 notched his second BRC4 win of the year with Kumho-backed Tony Simpson in second ? the 2016 BRC4 champion.

Quotes from Rally Isle of Man:

Rally Isle of Man First BRC Overall ? Elfyn Evans ? Ford Fiesta R5

?It has been a long and tough weekend and it has been challenging throughout. I was still finding out a lot about the car and tyres as we didn't test beforehand so there was a lot of tweaking to get the car perfect. I wanted to try and go for it and build a comfortable lead and then manage that, but then we hit trouble with drive shaft problems, which cost us nearly a minute. The fight was then on and it was a great battle with Mark [Higgins] to try and claw the time back. To do it on stages where he has so much local knowledge was hard as I haven't been on these roads since 2010!

?To take victory is the icing on the cake for not only me but the whole team. To give them the teams' championship was ultimately the reason for coming here and I was maybe selfish as well as I wanted to take the fight to Mark and win the event. The win tops off a great year in the BRC and a great reward to DMACK and the whole team for their hard work in 2016."

Rally Isle of Man Second BRC Overall ? Tom Cave ? Ford Fiesta R5

"It was a long three days and having never been here before I didn't know what to expect with the calibre of drivers on the entry list. We knew what we had to do to take second in the championship. When Fredrik [Ahlin] retired the pressure lifted from us and then I found it difficult to get into a rhythm so I had to revaluate. It was a good scrap with Desi [Henry] all weekend but I didn't want to get into that fight as the sole aim was the championship, but I couldn't help myself as I kept asking James [Morgan] what times Desi Henry had done!

?I am really pleased to have taken second in the series. It was a realistic target at the start of the year and to finish behind Elfyn who has driven brilliantly all year is a real achievement and I want to thank the whole team, sponsors, James and everyone involved. It's been a great year."

Rally Isle of Man First BRC Overall ? Desi Henry ? Skoda Fabia R5

?The stages are so fast and challenging you had to become half racing driver, half rally driver as you go from fast flowing wide roads like a motorway into very technical, tight and twisty sections as wide as the car.
?I really enjoyed the event. The weather was great and I enjoyed the battle with Tom Cave throughout the weekend. The last loop saw us take the wrong compound of tyre which meant we couldn't push on as much as we hoped but another podium and vital experience for next year has been achieved."

DMACK Junior BRC First Overall ? Robert Duggan ? Vauxhall ADAM R2

From the word go it was very tough, tricky and very challenging and with the title pressure off I just wanted to go for the win and set a really good pace. It all went according to plan as we had a great weekend, the car was faultless and the Vauxhall team did another fantastic job. To get a win on the Isle of Man is quite special, it's such a famous rally and to be top two-wheel-drive car with nothing but R5 cars in front can't get much better than that."

Results

Posted: November 19, 2016 3:14 PM

Rally Isle of Man - 15-17 Sep 16 - RESULTS

Results on Line (Isle of Man 2016) | Results by: Tynemouth Computer Services Rally Results

Mighty Manx Lies Ahead for Orr in Historic Rally Season!

Posted: September 14, 2016 11:44 AM

2016 has been a challenging but rewarding year so far for Killinchy’s Stanley Orr, and his co-driver Guy Weaver in the County Down driver’s familiar Historic Ford Escort MK1. Once again the white and blue MK Transport Escort with its 8 valve Pinto engine has been driven to some giant-killing results, results which see Stanley lead the class and be placed sixth overall in the MSA British Historic Rally Championship. This weekend’s Rally Isle of Man event counts as two of the three rounds left, with points allocated for the Thursday and Friday morning leg, and another full point’s allocation from Friday afternoon to the TT Grandstand finish on Saturday afternoon, so there’s a lot to play for.

“We had a good start to the year, but it’s been a tough season in some respects but we are still in the hunt, and feel that things could turn around for us” said Stanley. Indeed the pairing scored a Category 2 victory on the opening round the Red Kite Stages, a feat repeated on round two in North Wales, and on the Pirelli Carlisle Rally. Then the mid-season dramas began in June with no less than three punctures on the Severn Valley Stages in Wales, as rival Simon Tysoe took his BDA powered MK1 to category victory, Stanley and Guy pressing the Ashmores Press Brake Tooling MK1 back into second. After several non-championship events were entered to test over the tarmac Epynt military ranges in Wales, in preparation for the fifth Harry Flatters round, there was big disappointment as a rare distributor failure ended the team’s chances on stage one. Another achievement so far however is his overall lead in the Historic Rally Car Register Stage Masters Championship, with the Manx also two counting rounds for it.

Stanley has had some suspension set-up work done to the car and fitted with Hoosier tarmac tyres is feeling quietly confident going into the all-important Manx lanes.
“We’ve had a couple of dramas recently and I wasn’t just altogether happy with the feel of the car either, but it feels like its handling better now. We have also worked on a small engine issue as well over the last few months, so I’m now very much looking forward to the Manx. We have had a good recce, and I enjoyed the event immensely when we did it two years ago. It’s a long event, the Historic entry is seriously big and the weather is always unpredictable on the Isle of Man, so it won’t be an easy rally by any means.”

Backed as ever by his faithful and dedicated service crew and with additional support from Stephen Cairns Plumbing and Heating and Carryduff Autoparts it has enabled the County Down team to once again take on the best in Britain in the UK’s premier Historic rally championship.

The remaining rounds of the 2016 MSA British Historic Rally Championship calendar are:

Thurs-Sat 15-17 Sep: Isle of Man Classic
Fri/Sat 30 Sep/1 Oct: Trackrod Historic Cup

Duggan/Conway hoping to round off successful season on The Isle of Man

Posted: September 12, 2016 10:23 AM

Motorsport Ireland Young Rally Driver of the Year and newly crowned DMACK MSA British Junior Rally champion, Rob Duggan, will head to the Isle of Man this weekend for the final round in what has been an almost perfect season for the 23 year old Vauxhall driver from Killarney, Co. Kerry.

Duggan and co-driver Ger Conway wrapped up the British junior title on the penultimate round of the series on the Ulster Rally a few weeks ago and the pair head to the famous island full of confidence for the season finale. Confidence will definitely be needed as Rally Isle of Man (Sept 15th-17th) has a fearsome reputation thanks to a gruelling 3 day route which includes street stages, night stages and unique weather conditions that can make tyre choice extremely difficult. More often than not, the Isle of Man is a place where experience counts, but it is also a place where experience can be gained and that is Rob’s main aim ahead of the event.

Speaking ahead of the weekend Rob said;
"Rally Isle of Man offers a really unique challenge. Having never competed on the island before I’ve no doubt I’ll be at a slight disadvantage as it’s such a specialised event but it will be the first time I’ll have been able to drive the Vauxhall Adam without having to think about the championship so I’m looking forward to that. We have proved our pace on every event this year and would like to continue our form on the Manx if possible. Recce will be extremely important on the island but Ger and myself have worked hard on improving our pacenotes all year and an all new event to us is always a good place to test them. I intend to treat the event with the respect it deserves but I also want to enjoy myself. To round out the season with another strong performance would be the icing on the cake for myself and all the team around me who have worked so hard this season.”

Following a shakedown stage on Thursday afternoon, the 2016 Rally Isle of Man will start on Thursday night with a spectacular head to head super special stage which will take place along the Douglas Promenade. A brace of tests in the darkness will complete Thursday’s action. Friday will offer a stern challenge with crews facing a 13 hour, 11 stage day including a leg of 5 consecutive stages without service. Saturday will see just 3 stages but none are less than 13 miles in length with the final stage crossing the island, starting on the infamous Druidale, taking in the familiar landmarks of Brandywell Cottage, Injebreck and Abbeylands jump before joining the world renowned TT course for the final dash back to Douglas and the TT start/finish line. More information on the event can be found by visiting www.rallyisleofman.co.im

To keep up to date with Rob's exploitsmake sure and visit www.robduggan.com and www.vauxhallmotorsport.co.uk or follow Rob on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Rob is supported by Rentokil Initial, Motorsport Ireland, Sport Ireland and the Team Ireland Foundation.

Video: Mark Higgins gets ready for Rally Isle of Man

Posted: September 12, 2016 10:01 AM

All roads lead to the Isle of Man for BRC showdown

Posted: September 12, 2016 9:54 AM

The final round of the 2016 MSA British Rally Championship season is set to take place on the picturesque Isle of Man. A three-day showdown on 15-17 September will see the BRC crews tackle 167 competitive stage miles on the iconic Tarmac lanes. Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry wrapped up the BRC title on the Ulster Rally last time out and with the pressure off, the DMACK British Rally crew will be gunning for their fifth BRC win before the season is out.

The Welsh duo will be pushed all the way by Manx wildcards – Citroen factory driver Craig Breen, local-hero Mark Higgins – and a whole host of other BRC drivers who will all be fighting for the runner-up spot in Britain’s premier rallying series.

Heading to the popular island event in the pound seats are Welsh duo Tom Cave and co-driver James Morgan in the Spencer Sport-prepared Ford Fiesta R5. Cave has already been on the podium three times this year, with the top step the only position missing from the Michelin drivers impressive collection. Challenging Cave will be a host of other drivers, all-fighting for lucrative Rally Isle of Man points. Five of them have a mathematical chance of taking the runners-up spot on the September spectacular.

Asphalt ace Jonathan Greer in his Pirelli-shod Citroen DS3 R5 already has two rostrums to his name on the sealed-surface in 2016. Greer timely played his ‘Joker’ to double his points on the Ulster Rally and vaulted up the pecking order heading to the season curtain call. Along with navigator Kirsty Riddick, the Ulsterman will be eager to return the French marque to the top of the BRC tree once again after a two-year absence.

Swedish superstar Fredrik Ahlin exploded onto the British Rally Championship scene on the Mid Wales Stages, challenging Evans on home soil on the opening round and at one point, showed the newly-crowned champion the way. The Welshman used his local knowledge to overturn his fellow Fiesta R5 driver eventually, but 25-year-old Ahlin was to have his own moment of glory two months later when he became the first Swede to win a round of the BRC since 1995 on the Pirelli Carlisle Rally. Three non-scoring rallies mid-season have seen him slowly slip down the order, but never write off the driver from Hammaro, as he will be more determined than ever to secure another win in the BRC before the year is out with Morten Erik Abrahamsen calling the notes.

Josh Moffett with John Rowan alongside won the BRC section on the Circuit of Ireland and could be a dark horse for outright success in his Ford Fiesta R5. The 24-year-old Irishman had a disappointing Ulster Rally but has scored consistently throughout the year to keep himself in the hunt for a top championship position.

Behind the wheel of his Skoda Fabia R5, Scotsman David Bogie’s results have not shown his true speed this season as the former BRC champion could have been in title contention had it not been for retirements on the Pirelli and Scottish rallies. Bogie has an outside, yet mathematical chance of taking the spot behind champion Evans if he wins on the Manx. Fellow Fabia R5 driver Desi Henry can also claim second, but would need to win the event – allied to the other drivers in front failing to finish – to climb towards the sharp end of the table. Henry already has two podiums this year and would love to make it three on the championship finale.

Other BRC1 drivers including Ollie Mellors (Proton Satria S2000), Tom Preston (Skoda Fabia R5), Jamie Anderson, Rhys Yates, Matt Edwards and Alex Laffey all driving Ford Fiesta R5s will want to outdo their season bests on the challenging island lanes.

In the DMACK Junior BRC, Robert Duggan and Gerard Conway have already clinched the title in their Vauxhall ADAM R2. The Irish crew now have championship pressure off their shoulders, and Duggan will be putting his foot to the floor to add a Manx win to his impressive CV. Sindre Furuseth finished second behind Duggan on his first Tarmac rally. The Norwegian in his Renault Twingo R2 will be eager to emulate his Scottish success on the final event of the year while Duggan’s team-mate Mattias Adielsson will be gunning for his first Junior BRC win after chalking up several podiums earlier in the year. Look out, too, for Adam Bustard who will be keen to improve upon his career best third on the three-day event as he bids to move into the top three in the standings. Nabila Tejpar, Blair Brown and Nick Carr will all be jostling for a good result to springboard themselves up the championship order.

In the National Rally Cup, is all set to go down to the wire. Robert Blomberg in his Mitsubishi Mirage currently leads the way after a hat-trick of wins mid-season. The Swede has to finish inside the top four to take the title, but with the event being so long and the roads so challenging, nothing is guaranteed until the end of the final stage. Donnie Macdonald is the only man who can challenge Blomberg in the chase for the crown. The Scotsman has two victories to his name this season in his Mitsubishi Evo 9, and will be up for the fight from the word go.

Will Corry is the sole runner in BRC3 in the striking, sideways Toyota GT86 CS-R3, while Tony Simpson will be confirmed as the BRC4 champion in his Ford Fiesta ST. The Liverpudlian will go toe-to-toe with Peugeot 208 R2 driver Marty Gallagher for class honours on the event.

BRC Championship Manager Iain Campbell is eagerly anticipating the final round of the series on the Isle of Man:

“I cannot believe how quickly the 2016 season has gone as we prepare for the season finale,” enthused Campbell. “We may have titles confirmed, but its not over yet as the rest of the order has to be decided. There will be a real tussle as we have six drivers all in with a chance of taking second in the series, and what better place to host the curtain cull than on the legendary Isle of Man.

“Sindre Furuseth and Mattias Adielsson will also be going hammer and tong to beat each other in the championship standings and get one over Robert Duggan in the DMACK Junior series. Mattias will be desperate to record a win before the season comes to a close. There is one title yet to be decided, in the form of the National Rally Cup. Robert Blomberg has a healthy advantage, but as we have seen this year, anything can happen and Donnie Macdonald can swop in at the last gasp. It’s going to be a real spectacle. Stand back and watch the fireworks!”

All of the action from the Isle of Man will be broadcast on Channel 4, BT Sport and Motors TV shortly after the event.

Keep tabs on all the latest BRC developments by visiting www.msabrc.com or following us on social media: MSA British Rally Championship on Facebook and @MSA_BRC on Twitter using #BRC

Craig Breen ready for asphalt competition on Rally Isle of Man.

Posted: September 12, 2016 9:50 AM

No sooner had Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team driver Craig Breen announced that with support from Irish American businessman John Campion that he would enter the 54th running of the Rally Isle of Man, his Abu Dhabi Total World Rally team would follow by announcing that Craig and his co-driver Scott Martin would feature in their driver line up for WRC Rally Corsica. This week Craig and Scott will leave no stone unturned to take away as much experience as possible from “the Manx” and the fantastic stages it has to offer. Although seeded number one on the rally and using the event as experience it will be far from a relaxing drive around the island which takes place from the 15th to the 17th of September. The rally hosts the final round of the British Rally Championship and its host of highly competitive season regulars as well as local ace Mark Higgins. Craig and Scott will use their Circuit of Ireland winning Citroen DS3 R5 run by David Greer Motorsport. Event organisers have laid on 20 stages covering 163 miles across the island from Thursday evening to Saturday afternoon. Following shakedown at lunchtime on Thursday all roads will lead to Douglas promenade for the spectacular side-by-side opening stage before two night stages take the crews well into darkness. Friday as always on this event will be the meat of the challenge, with crews facing a 13-hour, 11 stage day. Six daytime tests begin with the rapid Sloc hillclimb, last used in 1980!

Headlined by a double run through the famous harbour-side Castletown spectator stage Friday night will form part of a real endurance test without any opportunity for service. Saturday is no easy run to the champagne either, it’s three stages are all over 13 miles in length including the afternoon finale the ‘Classic’, encompassing all that is best about the famed Manx stages and a favourite of many drivers that crosses the island, starting on the infamous Druidale, takes in the familiar landmarks of Brandywell Cottage, Injebreck and Abbeylands jump and then joins the TT course for the final dash back to Douglas and the TT start/finish line. And keeping the challenge going right to the end, those final ten miles are unused throughout the rest of the rally.

Before setting off for the rally Craig said
“I’m really looking forward to being back on tarmac, it’s been a while since the Circuit of Ireland and I need to get behind the wheel on asphalt competitively so we can be at our best when we compete at WRC Corsica”. He also thanked John Campion again for his support and making it possible to be at the start of the rally.

BHRC contenders head for the Isle of Man

Posted: September 12, 2016 9:49 AM

Rounds seven and eight of the 2016 Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship takes a superb field of historic rally cars to the Isle of Man (15-17 September) for the championship’s only double-header of the season.

With one full set of points on offer for the results up to Friday afternoon and another full set of points for the second half of the rally, it will be a critical weekend for the title contenders on one of the world’s finest asphalt rallies.

The Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club promotes the MSA BHRC under a five-year contract and 2016 is the second year of that agreement. The calendar covers six gravel and two asphalt rallies, with a double-header on the Isle of Man to make nine rounds. The team at Special Stage is filming all eight events and producing hour-long programmes to give the BHRC some of the best TV exposure in British rallying.

It was all change a month ago on the gravel of South Wales as Simon Tysoe and Paul Morris took the overall lead in the championship after six of the nine rounds. The Ford Escort Mk1 crew took a third straight Category 2 victory on the Red Dragon Rally to move ahead of very rapid Irishman Paul Barrett, who elected to miss the rally and use it as one of three dropped scores in the RSR Historic Engineering Category 3.

Tysoe and Morris have been quick and consistent on each of the six rounds to date and now take an 18-point lead to the Isle of Man. However, Tysoe has only competed on the island once before and that ended on the second stage. Defending champions Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke are the other major title contenders still in the running and they sealed the title on the island a year ago. However, three no-scores on the trot mid-season have put Pritchard on the back foot and he now needs two big scores in his bid to overhaul Barrett and Tysoe. Pritchard heads the contenders in the Holton Homes Category K.

Joining the season-long contenders are more strong crews, including Barrett’s younger brother Ryan (another former winner on the island), Daniel Jones/Gerwyn Barry, Rudi Lancaster/George Gwynn, Phil and Mick Squires and Shawn Rayner/Declan Dear. A welcome addition to the BHRC field is former overall event winner Jimmy McRae with Pauline Gullick in a Porsche 911. Heading the 1600cc pack will be the Escort Mk2 of Chris Skill and Tom Jordan who will be aiming for another giant-killing performance.

Stanley Orr and Guy Weaver are the big rivals to Tysoe/Morris in the Capital Construction Category 2 with their Pinto-powered Ford Escort Mk1, while in the Vintage Car Radiator Company Category 1, for the pre-1968 cars, father and son Bob and Dale Gibbons are looking good for the category title in their Ford Cortina GT. Lining up against them in Category 1 will be Phil Harris/Paul Kendrick (Mini Cooper S) and Mike Barratt/Fiona Scarrett (Ford Cortina GT).

The Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club promotes the MSA BHRC under a five-year contract and 2016 is the second year of that agreement. The calendar covers six gravel and two asphalt rallies, with a double-header on the Isle of Man in September to make nine rounds. The team at Special Stage is filming all eight events and produce hour-long programmes to give the BHRC some of the best TV exposure in British rallying.

The rally will be based at the TT grandstands in Douglas. The first car will start at 7pm on Thursday (15 September) and arrive at the finish at around 4pm on Saturday after more than 160 miles of competitive action.

Isle of Man challenge for Fuchs R.A.C. Historic Asphalt crews

Posted: September 12, 2016 9:46 AM

he Fuchs Lubricants R.A.C. Historic Asphalt Rally Championship heads to Rally Isle of Man this weekend (15-17 September) for the championship’s only double-header of the season.

Running in conjunction with the BHRC are rounds four and five of the new championship. Along with the early championship contenders, several crews have joined the fray in recent weeks and the scene is set for a very competitive rally.

With one full set of points on offer for the results up to Friday afternoon and another full set of points for the second half of the rally, it will be a critical weekend for the title contenders on one of the world’s finest asphalt rallies. The Fuchs R.A.C. season then concludes on the roads of Otterburn in October.

The Fuchs Lubricants R.A.C. Historic Asphalt Rally Championship is organised by the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club and is a dedicated asphalt championship for all categories of historic stage rally cars. As well as catering for crews who prefer to compete on sealed surfaces, the championship also offers a place for the Category 1 (pre-1968) cars that are moving away from gravel rallying as a result of the changes to event running orders.

New to the championship at the previous round on Epynt were the Ford Escort Mk2 crews of Will Onions/Jeremy Edwards and Guy Woodcock/Richard Skinner. After taking maximum points on the Harry Flatters, Woodcock is hoping to build a late-season bid for the title and two big scores on the island roads could set him up for the crown on the final round. Woodcock knows the event well and has a strong local co-driver sitting alongside. Onions, meanwhile, has fine pace on the island roads and should be a strong contender.

However, the season-long title protagonists are the Ford Escort Mk1 of Roger Matthews and Tom Marrott and the Mk2 of Roger Moran and Ashley Trimble. Neither crew can be considered as Isle of Man experts, but both are capable of two big results this weekend. Lining up as a big threat to Matthews in Category 2 is the Escort Mk1 Pinto of Stanley Orr/Guy Weaver.

Other strong runners in Escort Mk2s include Barry Stevenson-Wheeler/John Pickavance and brothers Simon and Alister Crook, as well as welcome Belgian visitors Christophe Jacob/Isabelle Regnier who are making their Manx debut. Meanwhile, variety to the Escort pack comes from the Hillman Avenger Tiger of Ian Robertson/Andrew Scott.

The rally will be based at the TT grandstands in Douglas. The first car will start at 6.30pm on Thursday (17 September) and arrive at the finish at around 2.45pm on Saturday after more than 170 miles of competitive action.

Seeded Entry List

Posted: September 6, 2016 11:49 AM

Rally Isle of Man - 15-17 Sep 16 - SEEDED ENTRY LIST

Marty for the Manx! - Gallagher In Contention

Posted: September 6, 2016 5:59 AM

For Donegal’s Marty Gallagher and co-driver Dean O’Sullivan, the trip to the Isle of Man next week for the MSA British Rally Championship- Manx International Rally is one that they are very much looking forward to. The only Donegal crew to be contesting this year’s event they are equipped with a 1600cc Peugeot 208 R2 and they are treating their first trip to the island as another chance to learn as they build on the experience for a full 2017 MSA British Rally Championship attack.

“It’s three days, a long event, and we have never driven on the island so we need to learn the event.” said Marty. It’s been an up and down season for the twenty year old as he upgraded to the R2 class from his successful sorties in a Honda Civic. “There’s been a lot to learn this year. Many new events that we haven’t contested, the Fiesta R2, the 208 R2 and left hand drive, but things are starting to go well for us again. At the start of the year trying to compete in the Fiesta may have been a mistake. It didn’t have the power of the Peugeot’s. It was about 30 horse power down and we had a couple of off’s trying to keep up. Changing to the 208 definitely has helped.”

Indeed recent results have helped to propel Marty to third in the two wheel drive standings in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. The year started well in Galway with second placed points on his first proper R2 event, but no points were scored in West Cork or Killarney after off-road excursions trying to keep up. On the Circuit of Ireland a very steady run brought third placed points, before things picked up with another second in Donegal as the change to the Peugeot 208 brough rewards. “We are still in the hunt when the bonus points on the final round in Cork are taken into account, and second place is very much up for grabs between myself and William Creighton. The Ulster went well for us and we scored second placed points to Callum Devine, and we were pleased to once again learn a new event and get round without any dramas in the tricky conditions. Also our times were right up there so it was very positive” said Marty. “In the British Championship we are second in the BRC 4 class, and again we would like to maintain that position as a win isn’t possible after our non-finish on the Nicky Grist Stages in Wales.”

The Campsie Karting Centre 208 has been figuring highly in the overall standings, and a recent sixth overall finish on the Dogleap Stages at Shackleton has further boosted the teams confidence. They are also lying third overall in the FIA Celtic Trophy, and will be heading to Austria for the big shoot-out in November, with an exciting prize set to be announced for the winner. Seeded third two-wheel drive car at number thirty-seven on the International Rally Isle of Man, look out for the duo as they take on the challenge of the island’s roads for the first time. “We need the experience of these events for next year, and we are still learning things with this car and it’s set up. Dean and the team at McConnell Motorsport have been great though, and hopefully we can continue our good run.”

Breen, Higgins and Evans headline stunning Rally Isle of Man entry

Posted: August 31, 2016 4:15 AM

The entry list for Rally Isle of Man (15-17th September), released today, is the strongest the event has seen for many years and sets up a thrilling finale to the FIA Celtic Trophy and MSA British Rally Championship.

One of world rallying’s hottest stars, Irishman Craig Breen, will lead the event into action in an R5 version of the Citroen DS3 that he drove to a maiden world championship podium just a month ago on Rally Finland, one of the sports fastest and most specialised events. The car will come from the David Greer Motorsport stable with regular co-driver Scott Martin alongside.

The other surprise entry is local favourite Mark Higgins. The three time former British champion has already had success on the island this year, obliterating his own car TT lap record in June. Already the winning-most driver in the events history with five victories between 2000 and 2009, he joins the DMack Tyres team to drive a Ford Fiesta R5. It will be the first time the Manxman has competed in this class of car since a one off outing on RallyGB in 2013. In demand as a leading stunt driver in movies including James Bond, Mark has also been driving in the Chinese Rally Championship in recent seasons.

Higgins will run as team-mate to Elfyn Evans, who secured the MSA British Rally title for DMack on the Ulster Rally ten days ago after a dominant season, underlining his world-level credentials. The Welshman has won four of the six rounds held so far, but will face a stiff challenge on an event he last contested in 2010.

As if those three top-flight drivers battling for victory on the famous Manx stages isn’t enough, there’s also a huge scrap to finish as runner-up to Evans in the BRC. Tom Cave (Wales - Ford) holds the position coming into the event, but Swedish driver Fredrik Åhlin (Ford) amazed onlookers early in the season, really taking the battle to Evans. He is in the mix alongside Ulsterman Jonny Greer (Citroen) and former British champion David Bogie (Scotland - Skoda), who have each had success on the island before.

An eagerly awaited Manx debut beckons for top Irish driver Josh Moffett (Ford), and his asphalt pace could be enough to have him near the top end of the leaderboard if luck goes his way on this most testing of events.

New BRC National champion Matt Edwards (Wales) has also moved up to the top R5 class with a Fiesta, whilst British Junior title victor Robert Duggan (Ireland - Vauxhall Adam) will be keen to prove his pace.

The Rallye Classicagh category is now regarded as the asphalt summit for British and Irish historic rallying, as a round of five championships, attracting a stellar line-up of almost 80 crowd-pleasing rear-wheel drive crews.

Included amongst them is a legend of the sport, Jimmy McRae. The Scotsman won the rally outright in 1982, 84 & 87, and will drive Adrian Kermode’s Porsche 911 in “Rothmans” livery evocative of that era past.

Also looking to write another Isle of Man success chapter is TT star Michael Dunlop (Ford Escort MkII). He had an absolute ball on the event last year, finishing a stunning fourth overall on the National section, and in between his bike commitments scored a podium finish on the national category of recent Ulster Rally. The Ballamoney man has tasted champagne every time he’s been on the island this summer, for the TT, Southern 100 and Classic TT just last weekend, and although the category entry looks stronger still this year many will be watching his progress with interest.

That’s just a taster of what should be a weekend of high paced rally action to sit alongside the legendary memories that have been created down the years by Rally Isle of Man, or more simply ‘the Manx’!

Don’t miss it!

Officials and spectator packages are available from travel partner IOM Event Services. Head to iomevents.com for all the details and join us for one of the events of the year!

Craig Breen enters Rally Isle of Man for asphalt Experience

Posted: August 31, 2016 4:11 AM

As history will confirm many of rallying’s true greats have honed their asphalt skills on the fast asphalt stages of the Isle of Man. For Craig Breen this was the reason he went there and won while a junior contender in 2009, seven years later Craig will go there as a World Rally Championship driver on a different level and holding the number one seed but with the same goal of gaining as much sealed surface experience as he can ahead of future events. This time out the Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team driver and his co-driver Scott Martin will use their Circuit of Ireland winning Citroen DS3 R5 run by David Greer Motorsport and supported by Irish American businessman John Campion. The 54th running of the Rally Isle of Man takes place from the 15th to the 17th of September and will consist of twenty all asphalt stages over three days. Valuable seat time for Craig as the year end draws closer but it will be far from a relaxing drive around the island as the rally hosts the final round of the British Rally Championship and its host of highly competitive season regulars.

Delighted to be able to confirm his entry for the rally Craig said
“I’m really looking forward to going back to the Isle of Man and being back on tarmac, it’s been a while since the Circuit of Ireland and I need to get the sensation of it back so we’re in the best possible shape when we get back into a World Rally Car.” Craig also said being able to take part in the event was all thanks to John Campion and his support was making it possible to be at the start of the rally.

You can keep up to date with Craig’s 2016 season by visiting www.craigbreen.com or www.citroenracing.com

Entries Received

Posted: July 29, 2016 8:27 AM

Available at:

www.rallies.info/webentry/2016/isleofmanint/

Event Website

Posted: June 4, 2016 4:23 AM

Rally Isle of Man (International)